A homeless man who has been forced to sleep on the cold pavements of Folkestone town centre said none of his family know about his ordeal.

The man, who chose to remain anonymous, has been on the streets since the summer, is a trained metal sculptor, but has been unable to find a job for some time.

It was an argument with his girlfriend's parents, whose house he had been staying in, that has left him without a home.

With nowhere else to go, Mike bought a tent and began camping out in The Warren.

At first, he would make money from busking on the street, but after he had his guitar stolen, he resorted to begging.

“My family don’t know and I don’t want them to know," he said.

“I have had to swallow a lot of pride and sit here begging,” he added.

“I’m constantly being moved on by the police because it’s illegal so I never stay in one place for very long.

“It has been hard. I won’t lie, it has been.”

He said that he has been to Porchlight, a homeless charity who provide sheltered accommodation, but that they lack the funding to help everyone.

He has since stopped camping out by the Warren and now camps out on the Downs, flouting no-camping rules but, he says, leaving no trace.

Mike said he is constantly being moved along by the police

“The people who come with their dogs in the morning are the friendliest,” he said.

By now he thinks he has probably saved enough money to be able to move into a flat but the places he would be able to afford are so rife with alcoholics and drugs that continuing to camp out is preferable.

Formerly a drug counsellor himself, he said he is keen to stay away from such environments.

“I would like to think that I deserve better than that,” he said.

He hopes that he will be able to stop sleeping rough and get back on his feet by Christmas but he said that he know many others won’t be so lucky.

The people trying to help

Pam Jones leads Action on Homelessness in Folkestone, a group of volunteers who try to help those in need

Four years ago, after hearing about the death of a homeless person in the town, Pam Jones set up Action on Homelessness in Folkestone with the purpose of helping the vulnerable and the homeless.

She said: "We are going to end up with a death eventually. There is going to be a big uproar when someone dies but it’s what’s going to happen.

“I thought in this day and age, we are one of the richest countries in the world and this is happening,” she said.

Since then the volunteer group has got larger but she feels that homelessness in the town is also becoming a bigger issue.

“It’s getting worse. We are seeing more people,” she said.

“We can’t stop serving food because there are people who are relying on us.

The group provides food, clothing and sleeping bags for the homeless and vulnerable

“I went out on Saturday and I saw about 15 people.

“It has been bitterly cold. There are couples who are sleeping in a car and there are people who are sleeping on the ground.”

Pam blames the increase in homelessness on the lack of social housing and is keen to stress that it is an issue which can affect anyone.

She said: “It was just awful on Saturday, having a grown man in my arms crying, saying ‘how have I got into this position?’

“I always say to anyone who says it won’t happen to them that anyone can get into that position, through mental health problems, losing your job, there are so many ways.”

Action on Homelessness in Folkestone work with the Salvation Army and the Rainbow Centre to try to provide all the support they can

As well as food, Action on Homelessness in Folkestone give out sleeping bags, clothes, shoes and the group receives donations and support from members of the public as well as local businesses.

Pam said: “Juicy Fresh have been helping since the start. Brakes in Ashford support us. The Big Greek Bus give us any food left over. Tesco give us bread and cake.”

Pam refers those in need to the Rainbow Centre and works with Sheila Eade, the Major at Folkestone’s Salvation Army, to provide the best support they can.

“Sheila believes in all of us working together to make a bigger impact,” Pam said.

“The more we all work together, the better it will be for the homeless.”

The group will be holding a Christmas dinner for the homeless and vulnerable at midday, Friday December 22 at the Salvation Army centre in Cantebury Road.